How many adults smoke or have smoked?

In 2014, 26 percent of Dutch people aged 18 years and over smoked; in 2019 this figure had fallen to 22 percent. At the same time, the proportion of adults who never smoked increased from 42 to 46 percent. The share of ex-smokers has remained unchanged (33 percent) since 2014.

Men are more likely to be smokers, while women are more likely never to have smoked. In 2019, 25 percent of men smoked compared with 18 percent of women. Over a third of men and just under a third of women have smoked in the past, but have now stopped. 41 percent of men and 51 percent of women have never smoked.

Fewer smokers and more older ex-smokers

Nearly 30 percent of people aged 18 to 29 years smoke occasionally, while less than 10 percent of over-75s smoke. We see more ex-smokers as people become older: 13 percent of people aged 18 to 29 years, and more than half of over-65s. The number of people who have never smoked actually decreases with age: from 58 percent among 18 to 29‑year-olds to 30 percent among 65 to 74‑year-olds. Over-75s are more likely never to have smoked than people aged 65 to 74 years (40 percent).

Show tableSmoking behaviour of adults, 2019 (%)Hide tableSmoking behaviour of adults, 2019 (%)

Smoking behaviour of adults, 2019 (%)

Leeftijd	Smoker	Former smoker	Non-smoker
18 to 29 yrs	29	12.8	58.2
30 to 39 yrs	26	22.1	51.9
40 to 49 yrs	23.4	27.6	49
50 to 54 yrs	23.9	28.4	47.7
55 to 64 yrs	21	41	38
65 to 74 yrs	14.1	55.7	30.2
75 yrs and over	7.7	52.7	39.6

Quarter of over-25s with a low level of education smoke

People of 25 years of age and older with a low level of education (primary or pre-vocational secondary education) smoke more often than people with a high level of education (university education): 26 percent versus 11 percent. People with a low level of education are also more likely to be ex-smokers (40 percent) than those with a high level of education (30 percent). On the other hand, 60 percent of people with a high level of education say they have never smoked, compared to 35 percent of people with a lower level of education.

More smokers among people with a migration background

Twenty percent of adults without a migration background (i.e. Dutch background) smoke. This is less than among over-18s with a western or non-western migration background (both 26 percent). However, people with a non-western migration background are much less likely to be ex-smokers, and are much more likely never to have smoked than people with a native Dutch or western migration background. This is partly due to age: people with a non-western migration background are on average younger than the other two groups.

Show tableSmoking behaviour by migration background, 2019 (% of persons aged 18 yrs and over)Hide tableSmoking behaviour by migration background, 2019 (% of persons aged 18 yrs and over)

Smoking behaviour by migration background, 2019 (% of persons aged 18 yrs and over)

Migratieachtergrond	Smoker	Former smoker	Non-smoker
The Netherlands	20.5	35.4	44.1
Western	26.3	31.8	41.9
Non-western	25.6	15.6	58.8

The questions

1. How does CBS calculate the figures?
2. How do we use our land?
3. How fast is the population growing?
4. How are the various animal species doing?
5. What are our top concerns?
6. Where do the emigrants go?
7. Who use social media the most?
8. How isolated do we feel?
9. What are our favourite wedding dates? What about partnership registrations?
10. How many under-18s are receiving youth assistance?
11. What about cyber crime?
12. What are the most popular majors?
13. What are the major religions?
14. How many overnight stays?
15. How many people shop online? And the items they buy...
16. Who are eligible to vote?
17. What are young people doing online?
18. How many adults smoke or have smoked?
19. Where were people in the Caribbean Netherlands originally born?
20. Where do Caribbean Dutch children live?
21. How much internet usage in the Caribbean Netherlands?
22. How many people (never) work from home?
23. How many millionaires in the Netherlands?
24. Has our purchasing power gone up or down?
25. Which jobs have the highest levels of mental fatigue?
26. How many employees are members of a trade union?
27. How many passengers flying into and out of the Netherlands?
28. How much nitrogen is emitted at livestock farms?
29. How many dwellings in the Netherlands?
30. How much is our average mileage in electric cars?
31. What do we import from China?
32. Which prices are up, which are down?
33. What is our production of frozen fries?
34. How many enterprises in the Netherlands?
35. How much energy do we get from biomass?
36. How much do we recycle?
37. Which flower bulbs are most common?
38. What is the impact of coronavirus?